


the light at the end of the tunnel (daylight, or only a fire?)

by violetinfidel



Series: drabbles [8]
Category: The Legend of Zelda & Related Fandoms, The Legend of Zelda: Four Swords
Genre: this is a sequel to another thing i did for the once bitten au, which will be posted in its own separate thing because i am lazy
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-05-29
Updated: 2018-05-29
Packaged: 2019-05-15 05:20:44
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,067
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14784294
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/violetinfidel/pseuds/violetinfidel





	the light at the end of the tunnel (daylight, or only a fire?)

Green still doesn’t know how to control his changes, and it’s getting frustrating. Neither does anyone else, which he’d like to think is a sort of comfort. But it isn’t, really. He wants the bitten to know, he wants to know. And it’s so terrible, to lose his agency for a few days, on every instance of a full moon- he’s conscious, he’s  _there_ , but he’s slave to some sort of instinct that tugs at him like a dog on a leash until he follows. There aren’t even words to put to it, the way it goes. He remembers the turning- the turning hurts- and then there’s a lot of blur in the in-between, and then he’s resurfacing, exhausted and aching and so very  _frustrated_.

Which is where the condition leaves him now, laying on his bed in his quarters in the castle, longing for the water on his nightstand but too weak to reach for it. At some point he’d gorged himself; he recalls the feasting very vaguely, not what he ate but how much, and he knows that it was a lot, and his stomach aches. He doesn’t really want to think about what he might’ve eaten.

There’s a knock on the door, and he’d answer if his throat wasn’t dry and scratchy and terrible. With no response they let themselves in, and it turns out to be Vio, which he’s very grateful for because there are few other people he’s willing to face in this state.

Wordlessly Green tries to communicate what he wants, and Vio seems to understand, or maybe he was going to do it anyway- he hands over the glass of water, and helps him to sit up so he doesn’t spill any of it.

“Feel better now?” Vio asks, gently.

“A little.” His voice is raspy, and it hurts to speak.

Vio excuses himself to get more, comes back with a pitcher and ice, and Red comes in with him, makes himself room under the covers and settles there.

“It lasted longer than last time,” He says, his worry evident, and passes over the glass Vio hands him.

“Only by a day, or less,” Vio says, upon noticing Green’s expression. “We believe it is a natural fluctuation. Nothing to be concerned about.”

“Nothing to be concerned about, huh?”

Vio sighs, takes a spot on the other side and rests against the pillows, and the dark circles ringing his eyes only send a fresh wave of worry through him.

“Not any more than usual. Things have seemed to stabilize, Green. We have cause to believe that this is the full extent of it, the changings.”

“Why do you say that?”

“It has been this way for months now. The bites have healed, and there is little unusual activity save for the changing. From what it looks like, it lays dormant until the peak of the moon’s cycle.”

For a moment he’s quiet, thinking about it. “So this is it, then?” At Vio’s nod he sighs. “I just… Am I ever going to be able to control it? Like,  _really_ control it, be  _me_ when it happens? ‘Cause I’m getting really sick of not remembering anything, and I’m sick of not being able to go with you guys.”

“I do not know,” Says Vio, and even as he says it sees how it hurts Green. “I am sorry. I wish I had a better answer for you.”

“They’re saying it might be possible, though,” Red adds, and nudges Vio behind Green’s back until he takes the hint.

“It may be,” He concedes, with a certain reluctance. “I am certain it will take quite a lot of focus, and practice, but the fact that you can recall anything at all is telling.”

Red nearly shoves him, this time. “And?”

“ _And_ they are looking into ways to potentially suppress whatever is causing it, so at least there will be no changings on the moon.” He withdraws from Red’s hand before he can think to do it again. “Even so, I… I do not want to get anyone’s hopes up only to crush them later. We do not know the nature of what causes this, how long it lasts, whether it  _can_ be suppressed. I will not bring false hope.”

“It’s better than none at all,” Red says, scowling. “Think about it-”

“I have. Exhaustively. That is only looking at the short-term, Red. If we fail to deliver it will only make things worse, in the long run.”

“How do you know that?”

“Because it is the usual pattern. Think about it, when Green was in the infirmary. You were holding out because they said he could be saved, but we did not know. And the longer he spent there, the more you began to give up. It is what will happen.”

“But if they think that, at least in the beginning, maybe they can! You don’t know it for sure! Don’t you think that’s a little cruel?”

That seems to strike a nerve in Vio, because he frowns, takes a deep breath and blows it out before he speaks again. “I do not mean to be cruel. I only want the best for them, and you are misunderstanding me.” He gets up, then, smooths the covers. “In any case, I should not have brought it up. I must get back to them. There are still wounded coming in unbitten.”

“Wait,” Green says, or rasps, more accurately, and Vio lingers at the door, gives him a questioning look. “You need to get some rest.”

“We are busy.”

“Let someone else take your post for a little. You look exhausted.”

“There may not be anyone-”

“Rest,” He insists. “Promise me you’ll at least get a nap in today.”

He’s quiet for a moment, chews on his lip and then sighs. “I will try-”

“Promise me.”

“Green, this is ridiculous.”

“Promise, or I’ll get Blue on you once he’s back.”

If nothing else, the threat of Blue nagging him through the day gets to him. “Fine, Green, I promise.”

Green musters up the best smile he can. “Okay, you’re free to go. Say hi to Dad for me, alright?”

Vio nods his acknowledgement, closes the door behind him, and they can hear his footsteps echoing down the corridor. Red tries for lighter conversation, and he’s glad for it, but Vio’s words stick heavy in his mind anyway.


End file.
